The 'Harry Potter' movie Daniel Radcliffe can't stand

By Breeanna Hare, CNN

Updated 9:03 AM ET, Tue August 12, 2014

'Harry Potter': Where are they now?11 photos

"Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone," the first film in the eight-part franchise, was released in 2001. With the upcoming release of highly anticipated movie spinoffs, check in with some of Hogwarts' most memorable students.

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'Harry Potter': Where are they now?11 photos

In 2014, Daniel Radcliffe proved on "The Tonight Show" that his talents go far beyond acting; Radcliffe's also a pretty great rapper. The "Harry Potter" star will next appear in the 2015 Judd Apatow comedy "Trainwreck."

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'Harry Potter': Where are they now?11 photos

Since portraying sharp witch Hermione in the "Harry Potter" series, Emma Watson has broken away from the supernatural with roles grounded in the (mostly) real world. After "My Week With Marilyn," "The Perks of Being A Wallflower" and "The Bling Ring," she showed her sense of humor in Seth Rogen's outlandish summer comedy, "This Is the End." She'll next appear in the 2015 thriller "Regression."

By the time the "Potter" movies wrapped, Matthew Lewis -- and his character, Neville Longbottom -- had morphed into quite the charming young man. He initially migrated over to TV for a spell with "The Syndicate" and "Bluestone 42."

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'Harry Potter': Where are they now?11 photos

Just enough time has passed for us to stop cringing at the sight of Tom Felton, who came to be known as the weakling bully Draco Malfoy. Even while working on the "Potter" franchise, Felton dabbled in other films, like "The Disappeared" and "Get Him to the Greek." Felton has been busy since "Potter" wrapped, and he appeared in the World War II movie "Ghosts of the Pacific" and the TNT cop drama "Murder in the First."

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'Harry Potter': Where are they now?11 photos

Bonnie Wright began playing Ginny Weasley at age 10, and since leaving the franchise she has been on a steady diet of dramas. Wright appeared in "The Philosophers," followed by "Before I Sleep" with Tom Sizemore.

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'Harry Potter': Where are they now?11 photos

The brothers who played the elder Weasleys -- George and Fred -- don't have the trademark ginger hair anymore, but they're still recognizable as the prankster pair. James and Oliver Phelps are still happy to talk all things "Potter," even as they move on to other endeavors. James has been active on stage, and Oliver has been traveling in support of his website, JopWorld.com.

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'Harry Potter': Where are they now?11 photos

Evanna Lynch's Luna Lovegood showed up halfway through the "Potter" saga, but her character was so wonderfully strange she's easily among the most memorable. And if there's anyone who's eager for the "Harry Potter" spinoff films, it's Lynch: "Maybe 'Fantastic Beasts' will turn into a long ting like HP did & I can play Luna as an old lady?" she tweeted. "Even if I'm too old to play Luna, can I go through 10 hours prosthetics to play a crumple-horned-snorkack. Please??"

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'Harry Potter': Where are they now?11 photos

Devon Murray's Seamus Finnigan was an easy character to love, and fans have missed seeing Murray (and hearing his accent) on the big screen. Murray assured a supporter from his unverified Twitter account in September 2013 that he's "been offered a lead role in a new movie so could be seeing my mug soon :)"

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'Harry Potter': Where are they now?11 photos

Jamie Waylett's Vincent Crabbe appeared in the first half of the franchise, and life post-"Potter" hasn't been so easy for the actor. In May 2012, he was sentenced to two years in jail for his participation in the 2011 London riots.

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Story highlights

Daniel Radcliffe isn't keen on the sixth film in the "Harry Potter" franchise

He feels he's "just not very good in it"

His favorite installment is the fifth film in the franchise

Of the eight "Harry Potter" movies Daniel Radcliffe made, there's one in particular that sets his teeth on edge.

The 25-year-old actor, who portrayed J.K. Rowling's adolescent wizard hero for 10 years starting at age 11, admits to the Daily Mail that it pains him to watch 2009's "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince."

"I'm just not very good in it," Radcliffe bluntly told the UK publication. "I hate it. My acting is very one-note and I can see I got complacent, and what I was trying to do just didn't come across."

It's not that Radcliffe is ungrateful for the experience. On the contrary, he calls the opportunity to play the globally adored character "an incredible blessing, because it gave me this opportunity to start a fantastic career."

But Radcliffe was still getting started as an actor when he was cast in 2001's first "Potter" film, meaning the franchise also holds "the moments I'm not as proud of," Radcliffe said. "Mistakes other actors get to make in rehearsal rooms or at drama school are all on film for everyone to see."

Though admittedly self-critical, there is one "Potter" flick that Radcliffe is happy with: "My best film is the fifth one," he tells the Daily Mail of 2007's "Order of the Phoenix," "because I can see a progression."

As he's taken on more complex and varied roles in an effort to leave Potter behind, Radcliffe has become more confident in his talent. In August, he stars in the romantic dramedy "What If," playing a character that's "someone most like myself," he told the Daily Mail.

"I'm definitely the geeky guy who wants to be in a relationship," he said. "And it was a big thing for me to do a modern-day romance. There was no point in this film where I had to get covered in blood or cry over the body of someone or pull someone out of a muddy bog."